Art of the Players Handbook

I mentioned the impact that early D&D art had on the potential consumer back in the day.  Like many things in our internet age, there is a tendency toward scorn for those early D&D years when it comes to art.  A few - David Trampier most notably - are given kudos.  Much of the work, however, is dismissed as amateurish at best.

In fairness, some of it, particularly that from the original 'LBBs' was downright childish, almost as if penned by an art class in middle school.  But by the time the hardbound books began to appear, a new level of art emerged that sought to capture the feel and spirit of the game.  And in those days, before Google could drop ten thousand computerized images of a basilisk on your screen, seeing what was being described was crucial for a new consumer base.  As I said, it took the heart of the game and gave it a look to pique the imagination.  And for a game based on using the imagination, that was as important as oxygen.

In those days when I first encountered the hobby in the early 1980s, any artwork was worth its weight.  It goes without saying that the Monster Manual reigned supreme in that category.  And while a few of the pictures seemed a bit cartoonish, most were respectable enough.  The Dungeon Masters Guide was also a treasure trove of imagery and artwork, with several pictures - especially in the second half of the book - evoking a fantasy world view to help sum up what the game was about.

Oddly, the Players Handbook came off as more the valuable text than a source for artistic inspiration.  Back in the day, it was the necessary rule book, but not a place for tweaking the fantasy images.  The artwork seemed minimal, and sometimes merely a dashed off afterthought.

Today, however, as I look through the books, I'm taken by just how plentiful the images were, and the quality they possessed.  Not only did they do what early artwork attempted to do - take the actual game and put it in pictures -, it did so very well.  Not the sleek, slick CGI laden comic book art of modern D&D publications.  But you have to remember, this was the 70s, the decade of realism.  When even George Lucas insisted his special effects team make that galaxy far, far away look lived in.  The art of D&D would likewise take the point of view of the creators and attempt to make it at once a fantasy world, and yet one that would never be beyond our capacity for belief.  It was grounded.  It was at times evocative of classical images and artwork.  And it was all brand new.

Here are a few to begin with.  I'll post more later.

After the celebrated cover pic (which I'll comment on down the road), this is the first bit of interior art that greats the reader.  Right there it says it.  A professional level drawing that in all respects could fit a fantasy book cover.  Except the die.  It's that die that says 'this is different.'  This is about more than just fantasy.  It is, in the end, a fusion of two types of traditional pastimes: imagination and games.  Without hammering the point, it makes the point.  And that is good art. 

Not one of the better illustrations.  It's actually in the 'amateurish' category.  It also adds fuel to the great debate on Tolkien's influence.  After all, that elf is no Galadriel.  It's also worth noting that the human is either over 8 feet all, or that's one small dwarf.  

On the other hand, that elf is holding his own height-wise.  Striking a noticeable similarity to that famous Vulcan Mr. Spock, either the other two men are short, or that's a six foot elven magic user.  Note the cross on the warrior's chest.  Probably a cleric.  Which brings a few other pics worth noting in that category. 

These are three pictures from the PHB that shows clerics in various action poses.  More than once James Maliszewski argued that early D&D had an implicit - if not perhaps an explicit - Christianity in its presentation.  Not hard to believe.  Despite the cultural upheaval of the 60s, America was still heavily based on a Judeo-Christian worldview.  Even if that was eroding, it was still there.  Pick a pop-cultural reference, and if a religious person was needed, he or she would either be Jewish, or more likely, a Christian minister or priest.  For better and for worse.  So it's no surprise that the cleric, already based on  a combination vampire hunter/Christian crusader model, would be portrayed as a warrior of the holy orders.  And that happens in the PHB more than in any other single publication.  

Finally we have another action pic of dwarves.  This was one of many art pieces meant to show the D&D world in action.  These are gritty, grimy dwarves at work.  Note the darkness of the work.  The shadows.  The heavy shading.  Illumination by way of torch.  This is the world of D&D.  Years from now, when the dwarves have left (or have been driven out), this is where those adventurers we play will be exploring.  And from the looks of things, they'll have to crouch down or send in the halflings.